Menu

Cancer Misdiagnosis Case Comes to a Close

The family of Melissa Hendricks, a Texas woman who died from cancer that went undiagnosed for over a year, has been awarded $3.5 million in her wrongful death lawsuit.  It is reportedly one of the largest medical malpractice verdicts in Denton County history.

The suit alleged that in 2002, Hendricks found a small lump on the top of her head prompting her to visit the Highland Family Medical Center where she was seen by Dr. Stephen Glaser.  Hendricks communicated to Glaser her concerns about cancer, which had taken her mother’s life years earlier.  Glaser dismissed her concerns, however, and diagnosed the lump as a nonmalignant lesion known as a sebaceous cyst.

The cyst was removed the following week, however no subsequent testing or biopsies were performed on the sample to confirm or refute the diagnosis and it was discarded.

A year later, Hendricks noticed another lump where the original had been and at that point sought treatment with a different doctor.  It was only then that the correct diagnosis of sarcoma, a dangerous form of cancer, was reached.  Unfortunately, however, with no treatment for over a year, the disease had progressed rapidly.  Hendricks fought valiantly but lost her battle in December 2004, less than a year after receiving the correct diagnosis.

The jury awarded Hendricks’ family the hefty settlement which will likely be reduced due to damage caps in Texas.  It is important to also note that they attributed 10% of the responsibility to Hendricks herself for not being more aggressive about getting a proper diagnosis given her family history of cancer.

Early detection of cancer is critical because left undiagnosed, the disease can continue to spread and worsen.  Treatment options may also be limited in late diagnosis, severely limiting the success rate of the patient in beating the disease and potentially shortening their life.  If you have received a diagnosis that you are unsure about, it is important that you take the initiative and get a second opinion.  It could mean the difference between life and death.

Should you find yourself already a victim of cancer that went undiagnosed or was misdiagnosed as something else causing a delay in treatment, you may have legal rights.  Discuss your situation with a medical lawyer to find out more.

Leave a Comment